Nautilus International is an independent, influential, global trade union and professional organisation, committed to delivering high quality, cost-effective services to members, and welfare support to necessitous seafarers, their dependants and other maritime professionals.

Nautilus works with members, the maritime community, national governments and international agencies to create change, which improves the lives of maritime professionals. We give a voice to maritime professionals from the very beginning of their training, throughout their employment and into retirement.

In this section, you can find out about the Union's legal and welfare services to members. You can also find information about some of the issues members face and suggestions on what you can do about them.

Our vision

Our vision and is to be a strong and influential advocate for our members, both collectively and individually.

Nautilus strives to ensure that maritime professionals get the recognition and respect they deserve as critically important workers who keep the world running – safely and efficiently transporting more than 90% of everything, from food to fuel.

As a modern and progressive union and professional body, we pursue every possible avenue to improve the working lives of our members.

The shipping industry is the most globalised of all industries. Indeed, it has made globalisation possible. But this can sometimes come at a cost for seafarers, with intense competition, boom-and-bust operating cycles and hire-and-fire cultures having a major impact on working lives at sea.

In this challenging and ever-changing environment, our vision is to be a strong and influential advocate for our members – both collectively and individually – and to raise public and political awareness of the vital role they play.

We work to encourage the highest standards of shipping operation, and to promote national and international policies which ensure that quality is rewarded and that unfair competition, based on dodging responsibilities or cutting corners, is penalised.

We seek to ensure the highest standards of employment and training, and press governments and shipping companies to develop initiatives that deliver sustainable recruitment and retention levels.

In a dynamic and dangerous industry, we aim to provide our members with robust protection, from professional guidance to legal support when and where you need it.

We work with companies, governments and other organisations to improve the treatment of seafarers – whether this involves improving onboard connectivity, defending rights to shore leave or fighting against criminalisation.

And in well over a century and a half of existence, the Union has been a leading light in delivering welfare services and support to seafarers and their families. From our specialist residential and care facilities at Mariners' Park to the work of our Nautilus/ITF inspectors in policing standards onboard ships, the Union is passionate about improving the wellbeing of seafarers.